Pillar of Hercules. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

When the Roman soldiers brought him here, he couldn't help but be impressed by the spectacular seascape. Standing on a headland at the end of the bay, the mighty tide crashes against the base of the towering cliffs and roars like a giant, where the vast Atlantic Ocean connects to the Mediterranean, creating a magical feeling of the end of the world. In fact, the origin of the name of the Pillar of Hercules is a story from Greek mythology.

And this mysterious strait is the Strait of Gibraltar, which became famous all over the world. All Atlantic ships had to enter the Mediterranean Sea from here (with the exception of the man-made Suez Canal, of course). Crossing this strait is to step from the European continent to the African continent. Recalling the ups and downs he had come along the way over the years, looking at the endless sea in front of him, Apis couldn't help but cry with emotion. Once upon a time, he was a statusless and despised slave, but now, a new continent is in front of him, a new world is in front of him.

Africa, that vast continent, what kind of scene is it, Apis does not know, but once the war starts, you can't stop, otherwise, your opponents, your enemies will always be in the dark calculating you, Apis knows that there is no way back to his current self, or become a conqueror and dictator like Gaius Caesar. Either you end up like Lepida or Anthony in history......

A few days later, Bunodius's fleet arrived as scheduled, and the Seventh and Eighth Legions boarded the southbound fleet in a roar.

……

"Gold, silver or free trade? None of this matters, Lord Agrippa, you know, this war is your war with Appis, it is none of our business, and there is no need for us to get involved in this war and fall victim to it. ”

After the defeat of Octavian's North African Legion, the kingdom of Numidia on the west coast of Africa became almost uninhabited. Although nominally Octavian's province in Africa, the executive order was worthless without an army and, crucially, now, Apis. The hungry wolves of the north are peering over the land. The Numidians even planned to take refuge in the stronger side of the wind. So, when Agrippa arrived with only one legion and asked Numidia to send an army to help, the new Numidian chieftain, Jabasdar, was not so happy. He replied nonchalantly to the Roman request.

"The Republic has been so tolerant of you in its days, but now that it is in danger, you have broken your word. Could it be that all the people here were frightened by the beast from the north? ”

"No, no, no. We swear allegiance to Caesar, not Octavian. General, you need us to fight for you, but what will be the consequences if Apis makes the same request and we don't agree? Maybe all the people of this land will be reduced to slavery, and I need some security, some reason for us to go to war. ”

The arrogance of the Numidians and the sight of the wind made Agrippa angry. But at the same time, he can't be angry with these people. For Agrippa did need a Numidian army. It's like a ruffian who has been a slave under his own for a long time, and one day suddenly gets the opportunity to climb on his head and spread wild on himself. But the local governor had been overthrown, and there were not enough legions, and Agrippa could not help.

"What kind of security, say."

Agrippa resisted his displeasure and asked.

"General, let me tell you the truth, before you reach the city, the men of Apis have already arrived in advance. Apis' condition was that if he achieved a final victory, the people of the land would no longer be under his direct rule, but would be free to govern themselves, which means that Apis gave us administrative freedom and independence. You only need to pay a certain amount of grain and taxes every year. ”

The cunning Abbas replied. In fact, he had not received any letter from Appis, who had just set out from Spain, and was probably still wandering in some corner of the western Mediterranean, and had not yet landed, let alone sent an emissary. Jabas's purpose was to coerce Agrippa, to coerce Octavian, to negotiate terms with him, more favorable terms.

"The stakes are so high and difficult that I must report them to Octavian and let him make a decision."

Independent provinces. Agrippa and Octavian had already thought of this request before they set out, and Octavian had agreed with Agrippa in Rome that if the Numidians had to ask for it, he would agree to them. After all, the enemy is almost at the doorstep, and what conditions can not be agreed. But Agrippa is not an ordinary mediocre talent, he knows that this condition is acceptable, but he cannot accept it immediately, to make the other party feel that it is difficult to accept the condition, it is only after some hard work and struggle that he compromises, so that the other party will not have to inch in and ask for more.

With that, Agrippa's face showed a look of anger and pain.

"That's good. Then I, no, are us, waiting for your reply, General. ”

Jabas, the leader of Numidia, said with a wicked smile.

Half a month later, Agrippa handed Octavian's "handwritten reply" into the hands of the Numidian Jabasdal. Autonomous provinces, but had to pay taxes, and provided food and grass for the Roman army and support for the allies in wartime. This was Octavian's request to the rebellious Numidians.

After reading it, Abbas saved the letter with a happy face. He then ordered his men to set up sentry posts in the border area to intercept all the legions of Apis from entering the borders of Numidia. And, the army began to be recruited. Fight as an Allied Army. And all this was only a distinction of administrative independence and freedom, and Rome no longer sent a governor to administer the region, as in Egypt under Antony......

Having preemptively won over the Numidians, Agrippa's legion was almost instantly doubled. More importantly, they had one of the toughest cavalry in the Western world, the Numidian cavalry. There were also more than a dozen African war elephants, and this army was able to compete with Appis's legions...... But Agrippa still had to hurry up and train this army before Apis landed in Africa, and train this auxiliary force to cooperate and tacit understanding with the main army. You must know that the amount of forage consumed by more than a dozen war elephants every day is not a small amount......